Method and apparatus for improving air seeder boot

ABSTRACT

In an air seeder assembly having a base mount member with a at least one base ear with a base bore, and a seed boot with at least one boot ear with a boot bore, a fastening assembly mounting the seed boot to the base mount member is disclosed. The fastening assembly comprises a fastener structure fastening the seed boot to the base mount member by extending through the base bore and the boot bore. The fastening assembly includes a fastener interface device inserted into at least one of the bores. The interface device comprises a substantially tubular insertion portion inserted into the at least one bore and a flange portion connected to the insertion portion, and extends radially outwardly from the insertion portion.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The present disclosure relates to air seeder boots and more particularlypertains to a new method and apparatus for improving an air seeder bootto provide greater durability to the mounting of the air seeder boot onthe air seeder apparatus.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Air seeder apparatus are used to move seed for planting from a bin ofseeds to a furrow formed in the ground for the purpose of planting theseed for growing crop. The air seeder apparatus includes a seed boot foreach row that the air seeder apparatus is capable of planting in onepass of the apparatus across the field. The seed boot includes a passageor channel through which the seed is moved from the seed supplycontainer to the furrow. The bottom end of the seed boot is positionedin close proximity to the ground and the furrow, and is subject tocontact with the ground that places stress on the structure mounting theboot to the base mount of the apparatus. The seed boot may be connectedto the base mount by a pin, such as a bolt fastener, that passes throughears or tabs that extend from the base mount and the seed boot. Thefastener passes through holes in the ears to hold the boot to the basemount, with some degree of pivot movement of the boot being possible.FIG. 1 of the drawings provides an illustration of the prior structure.

Due to the forces applied to the boot by contact with the ground, themount is subject to significant wear over a planting season. The seedboot may be easily removed from and replaced on the air seederapparatus, but this can be expensive, and rebuilding the mount structureon the main seeder apparatus is not as easily accomplished and thuspresents a greater challenge.

SUMMARY

In view of the foregoing, the present disclosure describes a new methodand apparatus for improving air seeder boot which may be utilized toprovide greater durability to the mounting of the air seeder boot on theair seeder apparatus.

In one aspect, the present disclosure relates, in an air seeder assemblyhaving a base mount member with a body and a pair of base ears extendingfrom the body and each having a base bore, and a seed boot with aconduit portion and a pair of boot ears extending from the conduitportion and each having a boot bore, a fastening assembly mounting theseed boot to the base mount member. The fastening assembly comprises afastener structure fastening the seed boot to the base mount member,with the fastener structure extending through the base bore of each baseear and the boot bore of each boot ear. The fastening assembly comprisesa fastener interface device positioned between the fastener structureand seed boot, with the fastener interface device being inserted into atleast one bore of the base bores and the boot bores. The fastenerinterface device comprises a substantially tubular insertion portioninserted into the at least one bore and a flange portion connected tothe insertion portion and extending radially outwardly from theinsertion portion such that the flange portion is interposed between oneof the base ears and one of the boot ears.

In another aspect, an air seeder assembly is disclosed that comprises abase mount member having a body and at least one base ear extending fromthe body, the base ear having a base bore formed therethrough. Theassembly further includes a seed boot defining a passage through which aseed moves. The seed boot comprises a conduit portion defining thepassage and at least one boot ear extending from the conduit portion.The at least one boot ear is positioned adjacent to the at least onebase ear of the base mount member. The at least one boot ear has a bootbore extending therethrough and aligned with the base bore. The assemblyfurther includes a fastener structure extending through the base bore ofthe at least one base ear and the boot bore of the at least one boot earto fasten the seed boot to the base mount member. The assembly furtherincludes a fastener interface device positioned between the fastenerstructure and one of the ears, and the fastener interface device isinserted into at least one of the bores of the base bores and the bootbores.

In still another aspect, the disclosure relates a method of reducingwear on an air seeder assembly. The method comprises providing an airseeder assembly having a base mount member with a body and a pair ofbase ears extending from the body and each having a base bore, and aseed boot with a conduit portion and a pair of boot ears extending fromthe conduit portion. The method further comprises providing a fastenerinterface device comprising a substantially tubular insertion portionand a flange portion connected to the insertion portion and extendingradially outwardly from the insertion portion. Still further, the methodincludes inserting the fastener interface device in at least one of thebores by inserting the insertion portion of the interface device intothe at least one bore. The method also includes extending the fastenerstructure through the fastener interface device to secure the seed bootto the base mount member.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, some of the more importantelements of the invention in order that the detailed description thereofthat follows may be better understood, and in order that the presentcontribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additionalelements of the invention that will be described hereinafter and whichwill form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment orimplementation in greater detail, it is to be understood that the scopeof the invention is not limited in its application to the details ofconstruction and to the arrangements of the components, and particularsof the steps of the method, set forth in the following description orillustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of otherembodiments and implementations and is thus capable of being practicedand carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that thephraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose ofdescription and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception,upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basisfor the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carryingout the several purposes of the present disclosure. It is important,therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalentconstructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope ofthe present invention.

The advantages of the various embodiments of the present invention,along with the various features of novelty that characterize theinvention, are disclosed in the following descriptive matter andaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure will be better understood and when consideration is givento the drawings and the detailed description which follows. Suchdescription makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of an air seeder boot and basemember of the air seeder apparatus without the apparatus of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a new apparatus for improving an airseeder boot according to the present disclosure mounted on an air seederboot and base member of the air seeder apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the air seeder boot with theapparatus of the present disclosure, according to an illustrativeembodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of the air seeder boot with the apparatusof the present disclosure, according to an illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view of the air seeder boot and basemember of the air seeder apparatus with the apparatus according to anillustrative embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the air seeder bootand the apparatus of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 2 through6 thereof, a new method and apparatus for improving air seeder bootembodying the principles and concepts of the disclosed subject matterwill be described.

An air seeder boot assembly 10 suitable for the application of theaspects of the present disclosure is shown in FIGS. 2 through 6, andparticularly in FIG. 2, although it should be recognized that while thedescription herein is made with respect to this air seeder apparatusstructure, the invention may be applied to other air seeder apparatusconfigurations.

The air seeder apparatus 10 may include a base mount member 12 which mayhave virtually any configuration, and may include the following elementsin addition to other elements that will not be described here. The basemount member 12 may have a side face 14 that is oriented toward the seedboot. The base mount member 12 may include a body 16 that includes theside face 18. The body 16 has an upper region 18 and a lower region 19.The base mount member 12 may further include a pair of base ears 20, 22that extend from the body 16. The base ears 20, 22 may be mounted on theupper region 18 of the body. The base ears 20, 22 may extend from theside face 14 of the body, and may be spaced from each other such that agap is formed therebetween. At least a portion of the base ears 20, 22may be oriented substantially parallel to each other, although this isnot critical. Each of the base ears may have a root end 24 and a freeend 25, and the root end 24 may be fixed to the body 16. At least one,and typically each, of the base ears has a base bore 26 extendingtherethrough. The base bores 26 of the respective base ears 20, 22 maybe axially aligned such that a fastener is able to pass through bothbores simultaneously. The base bores 26 may be positioned toward thefree ends 25 of the respective base ears.

The air seeder apparatus 10 may also include a seed boot 30 that definesa passage 32 through which a seed moves when the seed is being plantedby the apparatus 10. The seed boot 30 has an upper end 34 and a lowerend 36, and the passage 32 may extend from the upper end of the seedboot toward the lower end. Apparatus which guides the seed to thepassage at the upper end of the boot has been omitted from the drawingsfor clarity, but are known to those skilled in the art. The seed boot 30may comprise a conduit portion 38 that forms the passage 32. The conduitportion 34 may extend from the upper end 34 of the seed boot toward thelower end 36.

The seed boot 30 further includes at least one, and typically a pair of,boot ears 40, 42 that extend from the conduit portion 38. The boot ears40, 42 may be configured and arranged such that each of the boot earsmay be positioned adjacent to one of the base ears 20, 22 of the basemount member 12, and in some embodiments the boot ears may be configuredso as to be positionable on the outside of the base ears of the basemount assembly, although this positioning is not critical. The pair ofboot ears 40, 42 may be spaced from each other, and may be orientedsubstantially parallel to each other. Each of the boot ears 40, 42 mayhave a boot bore 44 that extends therethrough the ear. The boot bores40, 42 of the pair of boot ears may be axially aligned such that afastener is able to pass through each of the boot bores simultaneously.Each of the boot ears may have an inboard end 46 and an outboard end 48.The inboard ends 46 of the boot ears may be connected to the conduitportion 38 of the seed boot 30, and the boot bores 44 may be locatedtoward the outboard ends 48 of the respective boot ears 40, 42.

The apparatus 10 may also include a fastener structure 50 to fasten theseed boot 30 to the base mount member 12. The fastener structure 50 maybe removable to permit the seed boot 30 to be removed from the basemount member 12 after the fastener structure has been employed to mountthe seed boot on the base mount member. The fastener structure 50 mayextend through the base bores 26 of the base ears 20, 22 and the bootbores 44 of the boot ears 40, 42. The fastener structure 50 may permit adegree of pivoting of the seed boot 30 with respect to the base mountmember 12, although this is not critical to the invention.

In the illustrative embodiments, the fastener structure 50 comprises abolt 52 having a head end 54 and a thread end 55, and a head 56 may belocated on the head end 54. A portion of the bolt 52 toward the threadend 55 may be threaded. When the fastener structure 50 is securing theboot 30 to the base mount member 12, the shaft of the bolt 52 extendsthrough one or more of the base bores 26 and one or more of the bootbores 44 to secure the boot ears to the base ears. The fastenerstructure 50 may also include a nut 58 that is threadedly mounted on thebolt 52, and the nut is removably mounted on the thread end 55 of thebolt 52. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the fastenerstructure may comprise fasteners that are different from the bolt andnut arrangement set forth above.

The apparatus 10 of the disclosure may also include a fastener interfacedevice 60 that is positioned between the fastener structure 50 and oneor both of the base mount member 12 and the seed boot 30, and mayeliminate or substantially eliminate direct contact between one or moreof the ears and the fastener structure 50 when the interface device 60is installed for use. The fastener interface device 60, when installed,may permit pivoting of the seed boot 30 with respect to the base mountmember 12, although this is not critical to the functionality of theinvention. The fastener interface device 60 may be inserted into atleast one of the bores of the base bores 26 and the boot bores 44, andcould be inserted into both bores of paired base ears and boot ears.Illustratively, the fastener interface device 60 may be inserted intoone of the boot bores 44, and may not be inserted into the base bore ofthe base ear associated with the boot ear having the boot bore. In somepreferred embodiments, a pair of the fastener interface devices 60 isemployed, with each device 60 being inserted into one of the boot bores44 or one of the base bores. For the purpose of the description, thefastener interface devices will be described as being inserted in theboot bores, with the understanding that the interface devices mayalternatively or additionally be inserted into the base bores.

Each fastener interface device 60 may comprise an insertion portion 62for insertion into at least one bore of the base and boot ear. Theinsertion portion 62 may be generally tubular in configuration, and maybe substantially cylindrical. The insertion portion 62 may define achannel or passage for the fastener structure 50 to extend through whenthe fastener interface device 60 is in use. The insertion portion 62 hasa first end 64 and a second end 65. Each fastener interface device mayfurther comprise a flange portion 66 for positioning adjacent to one ofthe ears 20, 22 of the base mount member 12 and one of the ears 40, 42of the seed boot. The flange portion 66 may be connected to theinsertion portion 62 and may be connected to the first end 64 of theinsertion portion. The flange portion 66 may extend radially outwardlyfrom the insertion portion, and may be annular in configuration. Theflange portion 66 may be interposed between one of the base ears and oneof the boot ears of the paired base and boot ears when the interfacedevice 60 is mounted on the base mount member 12 and the boot 30 foruse.

The disclosure also relates to a method of improving or enhancing themounting of an air seeder seed boot 30 on a base mount member 12. Themethod may comprise providing various elements of the air seederapparatus 10 as set forth in this disclosure, and may include, forexample, a base mount member having a pair of base ears and base boresthrough the ears, and a seed boot with a pair of base ears and bootbores through the ears, as well as a fastener structure extendingthrough the bores. The method may further comprise providing a fastenerinterface device 60 which may include the insertion portion 62 and theflange portion 66. Another aspect of the method may be the step ofremoving the fastener structure 50 from the base bores 26 of the basemount member and the boot bores 44 of the seed boot, if the fastenerstructure is already positioned in the bores. If the fastener structureis not positioned in the bores, then the step of removal may be omitted.

Significantly, the method may also include the step of increasing adiameter of at least one of the bores, which may include increasing adiameter of at least one of the boot bores 26 in the boot, and may beapplied to each boot bore of the pair of boot bores. Typically, the boreprior to this step will have a diameter size that is close to, butslightly larger than, the diameter size of the shaft of the fastener, sothat the fastener passes through the bore relatively easily but the headof the fastener is not able to pass through the bore. It should berecognized that this step may include the forming of a bore in the earwhere no bore was previously present, and making the bore larger thanwould be needed to fit the diameter size of the fastener.

In some implementations of the method, the step of increasing thediameter comprises drilling a drill bit into the boot ears, which may beaccomplished by the drill bit having a diameter greater than thediameter of the boot bore prior to increasing the diameter by, forexample, drilling. For example, the diameter of the boot bore may beapproximately ⅜ inch prior to the increase of the diameter, and may beincreased to a diameter of approximately ⅝ inch. Other diameters andother increments of increase in the diameter may be used. The increasein the diameter of the bore tends to increase the bearing surface, whichwill help reduce wear on the surface of the bore.

The method may further include the step of inserting a fastenerinterface device 60 in at least one bore of the base bore 26 and theboot bore 44, and may include inserting the insertion portion 62 of thefastener interface device 60 into one of the bores. In some preferredimplementations, the insertion portion is inserted into the boot bore26, with one of the interface devices 60 being inserted into each of thebores of the boot ears. Significantly, the interface device 60 serves toreduce the wear that occurs on the boot ear about the boot bore, as theinterface device tends to act as a sacrificial element that accepts moreof the wear that occurs as a result of movement, particularly if theinterface device is formed of a material that is less wear resistant ordurable than the material forming the base ear.

The insertion step may also include abutting the flange portion 66 ofthe fastener interface device 60 against the base ear 20, 22. Theinsertion step may comprise positioning the flange portion 66 betweenone of the base ears 20, 22, and one of the boot ears 40, 42 such thatthe flange portion is interposed between the base ear and the boot earto space the ears away from each other.

The method may also include extending the fastener structure 50 throughthe fastener interface device or devices 60 to secure the seed boot 30to the base mount member 12. The step may further comprise passing thefastener structure 50 through the fastener interface devices located inthe base bores 26 and through the boot bores 44. In someimplementations, the bolt 52 of the fastener structure is insertedthrough the bores as well as the interface devices 60, and the nut 58 isthreaded onto the thread end 55 of the bolt.

Aspects of the method and apparatus of the disclosure reduce the wearthat occurs on the boot ear at the base bore by movement of the fastenerstructure 50 in the boot bore as the seeder apparatus moves through afield and contacts the ground. The insertion portion of the interfacedevice tends to reduce the amount of wear on the boot ear in the bootbore, and the flange portion tends to reduce wear on the face of thebase ear by the boot ear, and wear on the boot ear by the base ear, asthe adjacent surfaces of these ears would otherwise contact each otherand wear as the boot 30 pivoted with respect to the base mount member12. Further, in those embodiments of the fastener interface device inwhich the insertion portion 62 has a length that is greater than thethickness of the boot ear, the elements of the fastener structure (suchas the head 56 and the nut 58) may be spaced from the surfaces of theboot ears so that the elements of the fastener structure do not contactand wear on the surfaces of the boot ear.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized thatthe optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, toinclude variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and mannerof operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obviousto one skilled in the art in light of the foregoing disclosure, and allequivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings anddescribed in the specification are intended to be encompassed by thepresent invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the disclosed subject matter to the exact constructionand operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitablemodifications and equivalents may be resorted to that fall within thescope of the claims.

1-5. (canceled)
 6. An air seeder assembly comprising: a base mountmember having a body and at least one base ear extending from the body,the base ear having a base bore formed therethrough; a seed bootdefining a passage through which a seed moves, the seed boot comprisinga conduit portion defining the passage and at least one boot earextending from the conduit portion, the at least one boot ear beingpositioned adjacent to the at least one base ear of the base mountmember, the at least one boot ear having a boot bore extendingtherethrough and aligned with the base bore; a fastener structureextending through the base bore of the at least one base ear and theboot bore of the at least one boot ear to fasten the seed boot to thebase mount member; and a fastener interface device positioned betweenthe fastener structure and one of the ears, the fastener interfacedevice being inserted into at least one of the bores of the base boresand the boot bores.
 7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the fastenerinterface device is inserted into one of the boot bores.
 8. The assemblyof claim 6 wherein the fastener interface device comprises: an insertionportion inserted into at least one of the bores of the base bores andthe boot bores; and a flange portion positioned connected to andextending radially outwardly from the insertion portion, the flangeportion being interposed between one of the base ears and one of theboot ear.
 9. The assembly of claim 8 wherein the insertion portion issubstantially tubular.
 10. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the basemount member includes a pair of base ears extending from the body in aspaced, substantially parallel arrangement, each base ear having a basebore, the base bores being axially aligned with each other and thefastener structure extending through the base bores.
 11. The assembly ofclaim 6 wherein the seed boot comprises a pair of boot ears extendingfrom the conduit portion in a spaced, substantially parallelarrangement, each boot ear having a boot bore, the boot bores beingaxially aligned with each other and the fastener structure extendingthrough the base bores.
 12. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the basemount member includes a pair of base ears extending from the body in aspaced, substantially parallel arrangement, each base ear having a basebore, the base bores being axially aligned with each other; wherein theseed boot comprises a pair of boot ears extending from the conduitportion in a spaced, substantially parallel arrangement, each boot earhaving a boot bore, the boot bores being axially aligned with eachother; and wherein the fastener extends through each of the base boresof the base ears and each of the boot bores of the boot ears.
 13. Theassembly of claim 6 wherein the fastener interface device is configuredto permit a degree of pivoting of the seed boot with respect to the basemount member.
 14. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the fastener structurecomprises: a bolt extending through the base bores and the boot bores;and a nut removably mounted on the bolt.
 15. A method of reducing wearon an air seeder assembly, comprising: providing an air seeder assemblyhaving a base mount member with a body and a pair of base ears extendingfrom the body and each having a base bore, and a seed boot with aconduit portion and a pair of boot ears extending from the conduitportion; providing a fastener interface device comprising asubstantially tubular insertion portion and a flange portion connectedto the insertion portion and extending radially outwardly from theinsertion portion; inserting the fastener interface device in at leastone of the bores by inserting the insertion portion of the interfacedevice into the at least one bore; and extending the fastener structurethrough the fastener interface device to secure the seed boot to thebase mount member.
 16. The method of claim 15 additionally comprisingpositioning the flange portion of the fastener interface device betweenone of the base ears and one of the boot ears such that the flangeportion spaces the base ear from the boot ear.
 17. The method of claim15 additionally comprising increasing a diameter of at least one of thebores prior to inserting the fastener interface device into one of thebores.
 18. The method of claim 17 wherein increasing a diameter of atleast one of the bores comprises increasing a diameter of at least oneof the base bores.
 19. The method of claim 15 additionally comprisingremoving a fastener structure from the base bores and boot bores priorto inserting the fastener interface device into one of the bores. 20.The method of claim 15 wherein providing a fastener interface deviceincludes providing a pair of the fastener interface devices, and whereininserting the fastener interface device includes inserting one of thefastener interface devices into each of the boot bores of the boot ears.21. The method of claim 15 additionally comprising positioning theflange portion of the fastener interface device between one of the baseears and one of the boot ears such that the flange portion spaces thebase ear from the boot ear; increasing a diameter of at least one of thebores prior to inserting the fastener interface device into one of thebores; removing a fastener structure from the base bores and boot boresprior to inserting the fastener interface device into one of the bores;wherein providing a fastener interface device includes providing a pairof the fastener interface devices; and wherein inserting the fastenerinterface device includes inserting one of the fastener interfacedevices into each of the boot bores of the boot ears.
 22. The method ofclaim 15 additionally comprising removing a fastener structure from thebase bores and boot bores prior to inserting the fastener interfacedevice into one of the bores; and wherein the step of extending thefastener structure through the fastener is performed with the samefastener structure removed from the base bores and boot bores.
 23. Theassembly of claim 6 wherein the fastener interface device comprises apair of fastener interface devices with each device being inserted intoone of the boot bores.